Glenn Dobson: Drug Detection Agency CEO on the implementation of roadside drug testing

The implementation of roadside drug testing is being hailed as a huge step in the right direction. 

From December, Police across Wellington can do random roadside saliva tests – screening for cannabis, methamphetamine, MDMA, and cocaine.  

They'll spread to cover the whole country by mid-next year. 

Drivers testing positive will need to do a second test that checks for 25 substances. 

Drug Detection Agency Chief Executive Glenn Dobson told Mike Hosking data shows 30% of all road deaths now involve an impairing drug. 

He says it’s not going to be a game changer, but it is a massive move in the right direction. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
We've got this roadside drug testing announced as well, so cannabis, meth,

(00:02):
MDMA and cocaine tested as of well Wellington next month,
nationwide April next year. Glenn Dobson's the boss at the
Drug Detection Agency and as well as Glenn morning. Yeah, Mike,
are we going to get a Pandora's box of drug
ad losers behind the wheel of cars once we start
testing for it?

Speaker 2 (00:20):
Yeah, Look, it's a possibility at the moment, I guess
we're on the roads and we don't accurately know who's
out there and what the drivers are affected by. You know,
the government's put out stats that thirty percent of fatal
exidents now have drug effective drivers, and that's really scary.
So I applaud the governments they're taking this positive move.

Speaker 1 (00:38):
And is this tech and the device and or is
that kosher? And you know, we're not going to end
up with a whole lot of argument about what we're
doing and what we're not doing. This is just like
alcohol and no real.

Speaker 2 (00:47):
Difference, kind of yes and kind of no. To a
certain extent, any new legislation is always going to get
a challenge, and I can see the legal fraternity definitely
sign up a little side business challenging this legislation for
the first couple of years and finds its own. But
in relation to roadside drug testing, it is accurate the
device that we've verified. We are following a similar regime

(01:09):
that Australia has had and part of the process is
samples go to the lab for confirmatory testing if there's
going to be a prosecution and lab is the gold
standard in oation to that.

Speaker 1 (01:19):
Is it a game changer? In other words, will we
tidy up the roads? Do you think it's the deterrent
we've been waiting for.

Speaker 2 (01:27):
Look, it's not the silver bullet. It's not going to
be a the game changer. But it is a massive
move in the right direction. You know, enforcement along with education,
along with the police having the ability to actually take
action against drug effected drivers more than just the physical
roadside and pedment tests they do at the moment is

(01:48):
a really positive move. And like I say, similar to
the legislator, so that the areas in Australia that are
doing it successfully at the moment.

Speaker 1 (01:56):
Good, Glenn good, and so I appreciate it. Glenn Dobson,
Drug Detection Agency.

Speaker 2 (02:00):
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